Are Grammar and Spelling Still Important When Writing Content?

July 15, 2019

Are Grammar and Spelling Still Important When Writing Content?

Maybe it’s just me…but have you noticed an alarming number of grammar and spelling issues in online content these days? And I’m not talking about just personal blogs and social media posts. I mean major international brands putting out articles, blog posts and stories with glaring mistakes, or business websites that want to be seen as polished and professional with basic spelling errors.

 

It’s like all that work we used to do in elementary school with the spelling tests and grammar rules were just a big waste of time. Now, keep in mind I’m all for bending a rule here or there to communicate more effectively and get my point across. That’s just par for the course when it comes to persuasive writing.

 

However, when I see stuff like ‘there’ instead of ‘their’ or simple spelling mistakes getting through with increased regularity, it makes me wonder…are grammar and spelling still even important when writing content?

The Need for Speed

 

 

One of the culprits of this move to shitty grammar and spelling seems to be speed. Or more specifically, the need to get information out there as quickly as possible. In order to be the first one and get the most likes and shares, companies are throwing together articles or posts and then sharing them without anyone proofreading what they’ve written. So, they are out there, but at what cost?

It’s All About “The Message”

 

Many will tell you that the message is more important than the details, and anyone sweating details like grammar and spelling isn’t grasping the big picture. I even had someone remove me from their email list because I pointed out a glaring mistake on his web page. I was just trying to be helpful….and he told me that he’d put that there on purpose to separate the people that really are interested in his message from the rest of us.

What Grammar and Spelling Mistakes Say About You

 

Speed and messages aside, obvious grammar and spelling mistakes say a lot about your business or your brand, in my humble opinion. If you consider every piece of content you put out to be a little nugget of what you are all about, then simple grammar and spelling mistakes are saying you are rushed, sloppy and lazy.

 

And let’s not mistake a short tweet with a web page or a blog post because there is a big difference. Your website is your online storefront…where the people you want to hand over their money to you encounter you for the first time. If they visited your physical office or place of business and it was messy, disorganized and sloppy, what kind of impression would they have about you?

 

And the same is true for blog posts. Your blog is an opportunity to position yourself as a thought leader and authority in your industry. Does it show that you care about your customers, prospects and followers if you can’t even be bothered to clean up the content before you share it with them? Lazy is lazy all day long, and being lazy about these details will bleed into other aspects of your business and your life.

When In Doubt…

 

So, the question becomes; is it possible to share information in a timely fashion and promote your message while still adhering to the basic principles of spelling and grammar?

 

Of course, it is, and it’s probably best to take it seriously. As a society, maybe we are shifting to not caring about details like grammar and spelling. Kids can barely tell time on a standard clock anymore…most haven’t learned proper handwriting…we are abbreviating more and more words in our communication…perhaps it’s just not that big a deal?

 

Or, you may be turning people off with your content and not even realize it. Even if you track conversions carefully and pay attention to the metrics, can you really know how many potential customers left because your shoddy grammar and spelling turned them off? You don’t know what you don’t know, so when in doubt clean up that grammar and spelling so the perception you create is one of professionalism and caring about your prospects and customers.

 

Naturally, the best way to ensure your content is clean and looking great is to outsource to a content provider that has proven results. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can make a difference.

 

 

 

 

 




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